City Hall Várzea Paulista Competition Entry / Brazilian Architects

Designed by Ana Cecília Tourinho, Analu Brandão, Gabriel Kozlowski, and Beni Barzellai, their competition entry for the City Hall Várzea Paulista creates a unity among all the planned projects for the downtown of Várzea Paulista. By proposing an infrastructural ring, the project functions as a public connector to embrace the existing green space and north and south. Connected to the public transportation system, it distributes and negotiates the confluence and flow of pedestrians while building a coherent image of the city’s entry. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Regarding the building, cross superimposed volumes distribute the program in groups according to similarities and relationships between them. It generates a formal composition in which the program blocks (the Executive, the Legislative and Mais Fácil services) are clearly identified, facilitating the distribution of flows and access. The voids resulting from these volumes provide lightness to the built mass and promote constant natural lighting and ventilation.

The special equipment such as the library, theatre, and auditorium, are distinguished by their shape, position and independent access. Despite the volumetric distinction the programs are physically connected. This proximity allows the contraction or dilatation of the space destined to each program according to unforeseen future demands. The traditional modular structure, the free plan, and the compact cores, which concentrate the accesses, the vertical circulation and the wet areas, allow greater constructive efficiency and agility.